The present invention relates to a method of combining continuous casting and rolling of flat metal products, particularly products made of steel, and more particularly the invention relates to continuous roll casting of steel products under utilization of molten steel pouring into a mold from which emerges a casting of flat stock with a thickness under 100 mm, which casting is withdrawn as a partially solidified product under utilization of rolls which already reduce then and there the thickness of the flat stock in the solidification path the reduction being at least 10% but not more than 70% while a further reduction in thickness obtains by at least 30% right after completion of solidification.
Intermediate products resulting from a process outlined above are used as blanks for the further production of sheet stock, strips or the like. This intermediate product resulting from a combinaton of casting and rolling is also designated, thin slabs. Slabs which are too thick have exhibited certain separation problems of the alloying components particularly in the case of steel.
German printed patent application No. 24 44 443 prevents such precipitation and separation in that the casting is reduced while solidifying with emphasis on the point that the thickness reduction is to obtain just ahead of completion of solidification, with a reduction of 0.1 but not more than 2%. The European patent No. 286862 A1 discloses a manufacture of steel strip wherein the casting is reduced through compression before being rolled to obtain the final strip.
Recent developments have devoted efforts to match as close as possible the thickness of the cast ingot to the thickness of the final product. It is not possible to match these values completely but it is clear that one should come as close as is reasonably possible, to the dimensions of the final product in order to minimize as much as possible the extent of rolling of the casting. In order to meet this goal casting involves e.g. the casting of a flat product with between 40 and 50 mm thickness. The resulting flat product of course has a certain internal casting texture. Following the casting the product is moved out of the mold with transport rolls and cut into individual pieces which will be fed to an equalizing furnace and thereafter rolling obtains. This procedure is for example described in the journal "Stahl and Eisen" (Steel and Iron), 1988, vol. 3, pages 99 et seq. The method is disadvantaged by an indefinite casting texture as well as by the expenditure and equipment generally.